Asthma Diagnosis: Connecting the Dots

Key Information:

Getting diagnosed with asthma is not always straightforward. There is no single test that gives a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

Instead, getting a diagnosis is like “Connecting the Dots” to build a complete picture of your breathing.

Your story and your experience are the most important dots in the picture.

Step 1: Your Story (The Most Important Dots)

The process always starts with us listening to you. To build the picture, we need to know:

Symptoms: What exactly do you feel? (Coughing, wheezing, breathlessness?)

Timing: When do they happen? Do they get worse at night or early in the morning?

Triggers: Do symptoms flare up after exercise or exposure to cold air/pets?

History: Do you have any allergies (like hay fever) or a family history of asthma?

Step 2: The Tests (Adding to the Picture)

To confirm the diagnosis, we use simple, painless breathing tests to measure how well your lungs are working.

1. Spirometry

The Action: We ask you to take a deep breath in and blow out as hard and fast as you can into a machine.

The Reversibility Check: We often repeat this test after you have used a reliever inhaler to see if the medication opens your airways and changes your score.

2. FeNO Test

The Action: This involves breathing out steadily into a machine.

The Purpose: It measures the level of inflammation in your lungs.

Asthma Diagnosis: Connecting the Dots